Hey James. I think that is a common thing for some. To swap one addiction for another. I just read a great book. The 12 steps that can save your life by Barb Rogers. It's something she talks about. My advice and I'm just a newbie....but hit a12 step meeting.try as or n.a. you will find people there who have been thorough what we have and who have come out on the other side of this darkness. You can change and so can I one foot in front of the other baby steps.

Hello James,

Please stop for a moment and think this through. I have seen where the pill popping leads to and it is a horrible place to be. I would urge you to go to a doctor immediately and to be completely honest with him about everything. You need help with this that you cannot get on an internet forum.

Withdrawal from alcohol is a short term problem at its worst and no problem at all for some people but it is wise to treat it seriously and get medical advice. However, replacing alcohol with pain killers and sleeping tablets is taking you down a road that leads only to misery. You are not too late to turn back now but if you continue it will get much harder. Your thinking is skewed and off balance right now because of the substances you have been taking and you will find it difficult to see that there is a solution to the problem but there is indeed a solution that will work for you.

You would be wise to find some face to face support that would help you to deal with these issues. You wrote in your first post that you need to start liking yourself again and be positive and you will probably need some help with that. Have you checked out AA or NA in your area?

Hi Jay, my withdrawals were dangerous so I was detoxed with chlordiazepoxide under medical supervision. My doctor knows all about my alcoholism so he doesn't prescribe anything addictive for me if there is a better alternative.

You might find you are dual addicted and this is far from uncommon. Speak honestly with your doctor and I suggest you grab all the help you can - NA for the pills, AA for the alcohol. Added bonuses will be that it will keep you busy and focused on recovery plus an understanding of why this is happening to you and you can get face to face support - which I found an absolute must for me.

Hi Jaya, PJ makes some good points and most definately see your Doc as you may need help to come off the pills. If you've stopped drinking might be a good idea to look into some counselling as well. Your Doc may be able to refer you. It's something I did when I got sober and matey, it was so long overdue. Welcome to the group.

sounds like you need more help - like a detox if possible. I couldn't have gotten off alcohol and pills without a detox hospital. If that's not possible, please see a doctor as soon as possible and lay it on the line. And - I also recommend AA or NA, that's what I use to stay sober. It's great to get lots of support, and fellowship. you're not alone.

Hi Jay,
I know your hell all too well. I was a real garbage head when I was your age and would take anything, pills or booze, that was available. I would go from one addiction to the other. I'm not into the pill thing anymore but I still wonder even with the antidepressants. I had to be hospitalized more than once for pills and booze. My doctors do not prescribe anything addictive to me anymore.

It really does sound like it would be a good idea for you to see a doctor and go into some kind of detox. I wish you the best. Reading your post almost gave me a panic attack but I know what it is like to be there.

wow I did the same thing. time will pass and if you make some good changes the need to medicate will subside. Life is good you have to find the good in it and live. you can do it I believe in you.
1is2many

i love eating pills en that warm comfort come over n i feel content, n u can say much as this paper work u want i dnt work with that. i respect n e advice i get but i dnt understand all that yet... i like pills still aint had a drink wah next??????????????/

pj54 too long please sshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh had enuff of ur long lectures aleady. keep it simple no time 4 smart arse shit........

Jay, you say your head's a mess. Mine was too. If people responded to what I said about how bad I felt I would push the helping hand away or sometimes insult them too. I didn't really want to know and eventually nobody wanted to know me either. That is a very lonely place to be.

When I wanted to stop I was very grateful for people like PJ, I wanted what they had which was a happy way of living, freedom of mind and spirit. They had the good grace to take the time to show me how I could find that freedom for myself.

I found this place in Stoke On Trent, free and great writeup about addiction substitution, just what you suffering. Good luck, sweetie.

Stoke-on-Trent

Addiction is a serious problem in the UK and like everywhere else Stoke-on-Trent has a large number of people dealing with addiction who feel that the current help offered by Stoke-on-Trent doctors is limited and very difficult to access.

Addiction Helpline is a UK based non profit addiction treatment health care provider offering free 24 hour access to fully trained addiction treatment counselors who will help you cut through the red tape and get immediate professional help in Stoke-on-Trent

Al Jourgensen is considered the king of industrial metal. He is lead singer of the band Ministry, a group that have had plenty of mainstream success with albums like Filth Pig and Psalm 69. Many consider Al Jourgensen a rock legend and, like many who fall into this category, he had a reputation for partying hard. The 55-year-old recently wrote on his Facebook page that he was going to rehab to get help for his alcohol problem or, as he puts it, Im taking the plunge into the DRUNKY GULAG!
Ongoing Addiction Problems of Al Jourgensen

This is not the first time that Al Jourgensen has faced his addiction demons. He was a long-term drug abuser (about twenty years) until managing to give up heroin and crack; many of his songs are about using these substances, and he has been arrested in the past for possession. Al managed to give up these hard drugs without much help, but it seems that he just switched his addiction to alcohol. This time he has decided to seek help for his problems so that he can break free of addiction for good; he intends to enter rehab at the end of the month.

The Danger of Addiction Substitution

It appears that Al Jourgensen has fallen into a trap of addiction substitution this refers to a situation where someone stops abusing one drug but end up replacing it with a new one. Addiction substitution is an easy trap to fall into because using these other substances can appear reasonable in the beginning. This is because most substance abusers will have their drug of choice, and so long as they have this, they may not feel the need to abuse any other substance. For example, those who are addicted to heroin might be able to drink alcohol relatively sensibly, so it is understandable that many in this position would just assume it would be okay from them to continue using alcohol after they quit heroin.

When a person caught in addiction quits their drug of choice, they are at high risk of replacing it with something new. It matters not if the individual has previously been able to use this substance sensibly. The drive behind the addiction will still be there, so this new substance can quickly become the new drug of choice. This happens when the underlying conditions behind the behaviour are not being dealt with; it is for this reason that physical sobriety is usually not enough.

So sorry, forgot to include the website. Here's the addie
http://www.addiction.org.uk/areas/stoke-on-trent/
Addiction Helpline A free guide to addiction treatment in the UK
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